Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 339: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if inspectors of mink farms here have found cages since 2000 which do not comply with Council of Europe recommendations; if findings of non-compliance with Council of Europe recommendations have been made since that time; the mink farms to which these findings relate and the dates on which such findings were made; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37619/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Council of Europe recommendations are not legally binding. However, the Department sought compliance with these standards and fur farming licence holders indicated it is their intention to comply with these recommendations in a phased manner with full compliance with space requirements by 2010. Recent inspections indicated that fur farmers are installing the appropriate cages in the phased manner outlined.

Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 340: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the number of visits which were made by Department and veterinary inspectors during 2004 and 2005 to mink farms here; the farms which were visited and the date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37620/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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A total of 15 visits were made by Department and veterinary inspectors during 2004 and 22 visits were made in 2005.

Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 341: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if her attention has been drawn to whether or not petrol engines may be used in the slaughter of minks here; if her attention has further been drawn to whether petrol engines have been used to slaughter minks here and, if so, in which circumstances; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37643/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Section II (part 4b) of the Sixth Schedule of the European Communities (Protection of Animals at Time of Slaughter) Regulations 1995, states that gas produced by engines, when specially adapted, may be used to slaughter mink. Engines are used to produce carbon monoxide on some fur farms during the harvesting season for the purpose of recovering pelts.

Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 342: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the number of mink farms inspected during 2004 and to date in 2005 at the time of mink slaughter; the slaughter methods witnessed; the methods of slaughter, including the number of animals slaughtered in each slaughter box simultaneously; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37644/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Under the Musk Rats Act 1933 (Application to Mink) Order 1965 the keeping of mink is prohibited except under licence from my Department. Six licensed fur farms operate in the country at present. In accordance with the legislation, the conditions for a licence set out the nature of the premises upon which mink may be kept, the precautions to be taken to prevent the escape of mink, the duration of the licence and the returns to be made by the licence holder.

Fur farming is regulated for animal welfare purposes by the provisions of the Protection of Animals kept for Farming Purposes Act 1984 and the European Communities (Protection of Animals kept for farming purposes) Regulations 2000 which transposes the provision of EU Directive 98/58/EC concerning the protection of animals kept for farming purposes. Licensed fur farms are inspected by officials from my Department to assess compliance with this legislation and with the European Communities (Protection of Animals at Time of Slaughter) Regulations 1995 and in addition the Council of Europe recommendations concerning fur animals. Three farms were visited at the time of slaughter in 2004 and five farms were visited in 2005. The slaughter methods witnessed were carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. The number of animals slaughtered in each box simultaneously varied nationally from 50 to 70.